3 Important Holiday Checklists for Those with Chronic Illness (and Their Supporters)

When Chronic Illness or Life Circumstances Affect Your Holidays Negatively

I’ve created some holiday checklists here for those with chronic illness, and those who want to lend a helping hand. Holiday seasons are a time for fun and bonding, yet they can also be stressful periods, more so for some than others.

Whilst many are out shopping for gifts, there are single mothers struggling to provide a simple meal for their children. Whilst many are drinking in celebration, others are drinking to drown their sorrows. Whilst many are hopping from party to party, others are under their covers crying all alone in pain. The list of contrasts doesn’t end here.

Unlike others, those who live with chronic illness may find the holiday season a trying time. They might even dread instead of look forward to all the festivities. Many of them start planning a month or two in advance, just so that they will be able to ‘perform their duties’. For those who have loved ones with chronic illness, perhaps you’d like to help, but have no clue on how to do so. The holiday checklists below are simple, but hopefully serve as a gentle reminder for self-care moments amidst the festivities, so that everyone has a good time!

*Disclaimer: This post is meant for educational purposes, and is based on my personal experiences as a patient. I am not a doctor, and nothing in this article should be substituted for medical advice. Please consult your own doctor before changing or adding any new treatment protocols. This post may also contain affiliate links. It will cost you nothing to click on them. I will get a small referral fee from purchases you make, which helps with the maintenance of this blog. Read our Privacy Policy page for more information. Thank you!

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Read More in the Holiday & Christmas Series:
• Dangerous Gifts for People with Chronic Illnesses (and Gift Ideas to Swap Them With)
• How to Survive the Holidays When Chronic Illness & Disability Cause Pain
• What Your Wish List Looks Like When You Live with Chronic Illnesses (15 Gift Ideas for a Better Quality of Life)
• All I Want for Christmas is Some Pain Relief! (Real Wish List Ideas from 13 People with Chronic Illness)

Holiday Checklist 1: What to Do with Chronic Illness, Before the Holiday Festivities Go Into Full Swing

• Schedule in Time for Breaks. Have you scheduled in some rest time both before and after each activity? It’s easy to become absorbed in all the fun and festivities. But chronic illness has a way of demanding payback later. Don’t fear it, but don’t neglect pacing your energy levels.
• Ration Your Energy Wisely. Will this dish, decor, routine or task really make a big difference? Is it worth spending your limited energy supply on, or is there an easier alternative?
• Decide What Your Priorities are. Is this obligation a necessary one to fulfil? Or would it be better to spend that energy on something more meaningful instead?
• Simplify and Improvise. Is this a task you can simplify? Instead of creating something from scratch, perhaps part of it can be pre-made? Instead of hauling a pile of groceries or presents home, perhaps you can shop online?
• Delegate and Channel the Holiday Spirit. Are there any tasks you can delegate to someone else who’s willing to help out? Don’t feel bad about it, especially if they offered assistance. They will be happy to help, and your body will thank you for it. It’s the season of giving for everyone, after all!
• Pack Your Medications Beforehand.I’m sure every person with chronic illness has a pouch in their bags that contains medications. Both emergency and daily regular ones. Ensure that your medications aren’t expired, and are easy to access should you need to find a pill.
• Don’t Forget Your Comfort Tools. Comfort tools don’t have to be anything fancy, and can make a big difference in helping you to cope. Perhaps a hot water bottle, a pair of migraine glasses, or even essential oils. Things that help to relieve your mind and body of some stress, pressure and chronic pain.
• Rope in a Lookout Buddy. Do you have someone to look out for you? Especially someone who’s familiar with your chronic illness and its pre-flare symptoms? An extra pair of eyes that will notice should you be overdoing things, or if you get a little confused? If you don’t, you can also run a trustworthy person through your ‘chronic illness emergency protocol’.
• Know Your Exit Plan, in Case You Need to Leave at a Moment’s Notice. In the event where you need to leave early due to chronic illness, what will your ‘exit plan’ be? Do you need to label or put your gifts somewhere first? Do you need to have a plastic bag, essential oil, or medication on hand for sudden symptoms?

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Read Related Posts:
• Asking for Help (and Why Everyone Needs to Learn this Important Life Skill)
• 12 Lessons on Mindfulness (or ‘How to Relax’ by Thich Nhat Hanh)
• Best Tips for Preventing a Pain Flare (from 40 People with Chronic Illness)
• Keeping Up with the World: Why it’s Important Despite Pain

Holiday Checklist 2: Self-Care To Dos Whilst Attending an Event with Chronic Illness

• Check in with Yourself Every Hour or So. Are you drinking enough water? How are you feeling? If you notice a decline in your health or mind, do something to make yourself feel better. For example, lie down on the sofa, rub on some essential oils, or simply take your leave. Set an alarm if it helps you to remember.
• Ignore the Ignorant. Focus on Creating Good Memories Instead. If someone is making ignorant remarks about your chronic illness, remember that you don’t have time or energy for this nonsense. Their fleeting, thoughtless comment is not worth your health or anger. Spend it on creating good memories that you can treasure and keep instead.
• Keep Breathing! Take some time every now and then to steady and destress yourself through your breath. It’s beneficial for your mind, body, spirit and emotions!

• Keep Listening to Your Body and Adapt Accordingly. Are you feeling safe, assured and comfortable? If not, what can you do to feel more relaxed and thus, last longer with less backlash pain?

  Chronic illness and mental health can go in a vicious cycle. So don’t forget to pay attention to both aspects, and assess what you can do to help yourself to feel better. It doesn’t have to be complicated. Sometimes a shift in perspective can make all the difference.

• Speak Up and Self-Advocate If you’re slightly unwell but still would like to join in the festivities, then voice it out. For example, you can always sit and watch others play games, without having to participate in them physically.

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Read Related Posts:
• How to Use the 7 Dimensions of Wellness to Thrive with Chronic Pain
• How to be a Positive Thinker: Without the Unicorns & Rainbows
• 40 People with Chronic Illness Share Their Best Pain Management Tips (What to Do if an Unforeseen Pain Flare Hits)
• I May be Chronically Ill, but I’m Also Chronically Resilient
• Call Me Sick Girl (Or How to Make Your Weakness Your Strength)

Holiday Checklist 3 (For the Supporters): What You Can Do to Support Those with Chronic Illness

• Don’t Wait for Those with Chronic Illness to Ask for Help. Offer to be their ‘lookout buddy’. You don’t always have to wait for someone to ask for help. Often when a chronically ill person does so, it’s because they’re at their wits’ end already. Be their personal advocate. Ask them for permission to bug them often with questions like, ‘how are you feeling?’, or ‘is there anything you need help with?’.

• Offer to be Their Kitchen or Cooking Assistant. Even for those without chronic illnesses, chopping, slicing, dicing and washing up can be a lot of effort. For someone who’s chronically ill, this can lead to extra chronic pain and flare ups. You don’t need to be a kitchen wizard to help out with such chores, so go ahead and ask if you can be of help!

• Offer to Do Their Christmas Shopping or Groceries for Them. Get a list of items to buy, and go for it! Shopping for presents or groceries can be tedious tasks even on regular days. The extra precautions needed to be taken due to the COVID-19 pandemic can make such escapades even more exhausting.

  You can also help to sanitise and put their groceries away, which may take them hours to do on their own. That leaves them with little energy left for the rest of the day. Another alternative is to help purchase all their gift items online or offline in one go. Chronic pain can make sitting and/or typing at the computer exhausting as well.

• Set them at ease. Tell them jokes, chat and gossip. Relieve them of the worries that are probably playing on repeat in their minds. And yes, you can talk to a person with chronic illness like a normal person. Chances are, they’ll appreciate that a great deal!
• Offer to Keep an Eye on the Kids or Pets. Children and pets will ultimately be their parents’ responsibility, but you can help lighten some of the load. Children are full of energy and questions. Maybe you can burn that off by running around with them, and help to satiate their curious minds. It’s your chance to be that cool aunt or uncle 😉

• Offer to Take Them Outside for a Short Breather. Holiday events can be boisterous, chaotic and noisy. Sounds, scents and lights can be triggers for those with chronic illness, whether mentally or physically. For example, bright lights can trigger a migraine, scents (even the good ones!) can trigger a mast cell flare, and sounds can worsen anxiety. All combined, the cognitive cost of being in such an environment will drain their energy supply quickly – no matter what chronic illness they have.

  So ask if they’d like to go out for some fresh air every now and then. Take your friend or loved one with chronic illness some place quiet to re-stabilise, before rejoining the crowd. Chances are, they would really appreciate that.

• Help Them to Conserve Their Physical Energy. Minimise their need for movement, as this can add up quickly. On a normal day some movement is probably good for them. But attending an event is already an exhausting activity in and of itself, when you have chronic illness in tow. Let them chill out on the sofa whilst you serve up some yummy delicacies, if they can eat them!
• Treat Them Like a Normal Guest. Seriously, I love it when people treat me like a normal person. It makes me feel the most welcomed, understood and comfortable. When people hesitate to ask me questions, or treat me with special attention all the time, it can get awkward. It makes me feel like a child who is incapable of caring for herself.

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Read Related Posts:
• What’s it Like to be a Caregiver for a Chronically Ill Loved One (The Challenges & Rewards)
• Sometimes, Physical Pain Isn’t the Worst Part About Chronic Illness
• 7 Ways to Be a Better Friend to Someone with a Chronic Illness (and 3 Things You Should Never Do)
• 12 Visible Evidence of a Body Gone Rogue (Is Invisible Illness Truly Invisible?)
• Are You a Capable Person? What Does That Even Mean?

Conclusion to the Chronic Illness Holiday Checklists Series

I wanted to say ‘treat those with chronic illness with an extra sprinkle of thoughtfulness’. But thinking about it, shouldn’t we treat everyone that way regardless? Merry Christmas and happy holidays to all! I hope that these holiday checklists were useful both to those with chronic illness and their supporters. End the year as best as you can, wherever you are in life. Do you have more tips to add to these lists? I’d love to hear from you in the comments below!

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Read More in the Holiday & Christmas Series:
• Dangerous Gifts for People with Chronic Illnesses (and Gift Ideas to Swap Them With)
• How to Survive the Holidays When Chronic Illness & Disability Cause Pain
• What Your Wish List Looks Like When You Live with Chronic Illnesses (15 Gift Ideas for a Better Quality of Life)
• All I Want for Christmas is Some Pain Relief! (Real Wish List Ideas from 13 People with Chronic Illness)

More Insight From Other Chronic Illness Bloggers:
• 5 ways you can support a loved one with chronic illness during the holidays
• Your Mindful Guide to Surviving the Holiday Season With a Chronic Illness
• Surviving the Festive Season With a Chronic UTI

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